Public Hearing for Violation of Tobacco License

In accordance with Minnesota State Statute § 461.12 s-5 and with Ramsey City Ordinance 26-757, the Ramsey Police Department is required to conduct unannounced tobacco compliance checks at least once per year at each of the 17 locations in Ramsey where tobacco is sold. On November 25, 2025 a Peace Officer from the Ramsey Police Department conducted multiple tobacco compliance checks at Ramsey businesses. One business, G-Will Liquors at 5427 Alpine Dr NW, failed the compliance check by selling tobacco to a person under the age of 21.

On November 25th, 2025, an on-duty Police Officer drove a trained and identified 19-year-old male (buyer) to G-Will Liquors. The buyer went into the store to attempt to make a tobacco purchase. Shortly later, the buyer came out of the store with a tin of Copenhagen Wintergreen Long Cut, which he had purchased for $10.69 at 12:12 pm. The buyer told the Officer that the clerk who sold the product to him was an older male. The buyer said he asked the clerk for the Copenhagen, and the clerk grabbed the product and asked the buyer for his card. The buyer asked to clarify if the clerk was asking for his driver's license, and the clerk said yes, that too. The buyer gave the clerk his driver's license, the clerk looked at it, and then sold the product to the buyer.

The Officer followed up by entering the store and speaking to the clerk, who identified himself via his Minnesota driver's license as David Joseph Williams. The Officer told David about the tobacco violation, and David informed him that he had done the math and stated that the buyer's driver's license indicated 2006. The Officer explained to the clerk that the driver's license makes the buyer 19 years old. David printed a copy of the transaction receipt and gave it to the Officer. They exchanged the change and retook custody of the original $20 used for the purchase. The Officer then educated David about the vertical under-21 driver's license vs the standard horizontal license.

The Officer issued David a citation (#021325401820) for a petty misdemeanor of selling tobacco to an individual under 21 years of age. The tin of Copenhagen and the receipt were both entered into evidence at the Ramsey Police Department. A photo of the buyer, as well as a photo of the buyer's driver's license, was saved to Evidence.com under case #25-263009.

Per Minnesota State Statute § 461.12 s-2, the licensee shall be charged an administrative penalty of $300 for the first violation.
 

On 12/23/2025, the attached Notice of Hearing for Violation of Tobacco License letter was addressed to G-Will Liquors' business applicant, Cherokee Liquors, Inc., at 19680 Rum River Blvd, Oak Grove, MN 55303, and mailed to the attention of the license holder, Grant Rademacher. On 12/26/2025, the original letter, along with a copy of the tobacco compliance check form, was sent via USPS certified mail (#7018 3090 0001 7699 1852) to the business address registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office. A second copy of the letter was mailed as a courtesy to G-Will Liquors in Ramsey.

Compliance checks are conducted using funds from the police department's general budget.

The licensee is given the opportunity for a hearing before the Ramsey City Council, and a hearing will be conducted.

Motion to affirm that a tobacco sale violation to a person under the age of 21 did occur at G-Will Liquors on November 25, 2025.